Now, when the buffalo's gone p1
by Anna
Summary: Here is the last part of the "His Father's Daughter" trilogy and a seq. of BRAVE MOUSE and LIVES FREE. Katie is 20 there, and she's going to get married Please review


NOW, WHEN THE BUFFALO'S GONE…  
  
The sequel of LIVES FREE and BRAVE MOUSE  
" Can you remember the times,  
That you have held your head high  
and told all your friends of your Indian claim  
Proud good lady and proud good man…  
…..A treaty forever your senators sign  
They do dear lady, they do dear man  
and the treaties are broken again and again  
and what will you do for these one….  
… Oh it's all in the past you can say  
but it's still going on here today…..  
…..It's here and it's now you can help us dear man  
Now that the buffalo's gone.  
(Buffy Sainte-Marie, the Indian country singer)  
  
  
The locomotive puffed for the last time, and train slowly has stopped.  
The pretty young lady jumped from the train first and looked across the platform for her family. Noticing them, she waved her hands and shouted:  
- Ma! Matthew!Brian!  
- Katie, sweetheart! - Michaela embraced her youngest daughter - How nice to see you at home! How your exams?  
- Fine. Next year I'll be a teacher, can you imagine?.  
She suddenly stopped, looking around the station as if it was her future class and said aloud:  
- Hello, Children!I'm your new teacher, my name is Miss Katherine Sully, Hope, we will become good friends.  
- You must add something - Brian teased - " I can speak Cheyenne and sign language, ride without the saddle and throw a tomahawk" - and they would obey you without a word…  
Katie mockingly tried to kick her brother.  
- Hey, stop it! - Michaela told them, - You're not kids.  
- And after all she's going to be a TEACHER! - Brian continued, - I'm really sorry for the parents of those kids…  
  
- Well, if we'll try to recall YOUR school years, sister …- has inserted Mathew  
-I was so scared every time, when Mrs.Slicker stopped me on the street with the words :- Doctor Mike,, I have something to talk with you…  
Katie blushed - I was just a kid …  
She still looked around searching for someone, and finally asked:  
- Where is Pa?  
Michaela sighed:  
- Perhaps, he will be home next week  
- Next week?! - Katie looked very disappointed, - But the Christmas…He always tried to be here at Christmas…   
- He must accompany some writer from Yellowstone to Black Hills, and some other places. The Interior Department asked him, and he couldn't say "no"  
- Why?  
- Cloud Dancing told him so…He insisted , that must be Sully who'll show the Black Hills to this gentleman.  
- Pa's the only white man who respects this sacred place - Brian added.  
- But I has invited my friend, John… you remember, I've told you in my letters - Katie said quietly, - I was going to introduce him to my family.  
- He could meet Sully next time, - Michaela told her  
- I have no time! - Katie exclaimed, - He proposed me…  
-And you?  
- And I said him "yes"!- Katie declared, looking at her mother with a challenge- But we want the wedding here.  
- Well, - Michaela was very puzzled, but has tried not to show this, - if you're so sure…But I think you have no reason to hurry. You know this gentleman just about five months …  
- That's enough for me, - Katie said stubbornly- But I have someting to tell Pa…  
Michaela suddenly felt a kind of jealousy. This was the usual feeling for her for the years of Katie's childhood, and she couldn't help it. Certainly, her daughter loved her with all her heart, but she always was "father's girl", and preferred to share her secrets with Sully…  
- I don't want to offend you, Ma, - Katie tried to explain - I'm not going to hide anything from you… This is because my fiancee is an Indian.He was born in reservation, but brought up with his adoptive father, white .He was a physician, like you.  
From Michaela's facial expression Katie became aware she's not very happy to hear this.  
-Ma, you don't like he's an Indian?.  
- No, of course not. I'm just thinking you need to know this gentleman better before getting married.  
Katie gave her another stubborn look, but said nothing. "If Pa would be here, he could understand me better", - she though.  
-----------------------------  
  
About a half an year ago the lady who owned the boardinghouse, where Katie lives in Denver, offerred her a job- to give lessons to her cousine's son . Katie had no such a need in extra money, but she wanted to look, what is teacher's work in practice, so she immediately agreed.  
This day she met the unacquainted young gentleman . She walked upstairs, to her pupil's apartments, and he walked downstairs.  
The young gentleman gazed at her, then suddenly asked: Good morning, are you Jeremy's new teacher?   
- Yes, I am, - she answered  
- So as me. I teach him mathematics. We're a kind of colleague, I think… - He smiled and added, - I need to warn you, that's not easy to teach this boy…   
- Nevermind, - Katie courageously answered,- I have two brothers myself.  
At the light ofthe lamp she looked at him more attentively. There was a tall and handsome man about 25, with dark brown eyes and black hair; he was dressed in usual suit, but something in him looked very familiar for her, and she couldn't recognize it at first second…Then she understood : the upper button of his shirt was untied, and there .was a small Indian necklace around his neck, almost invisible under his shirt…  
This unusual belonging forced Katie to feel a kind of interest to this unacquainted gentleman.  
Noticing her look, he blushed a little and said apologetically:  
- I hate ties…  
- So as my Pa! - Katie informed him gladly,   
He smiled:   
- I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm John McMillan  
- Nice to meet you…I'm Katherine Sully  
- Perhaps, I've heard about your father ! - John exclaimed, - If he is Mr.Byron Sully who is working for the Interior Department, and created the "Rocky Mountain National Park.  
- Yes, - Katie answered. She was pleased very much, if anyone had heard about her father, so this gentleman became even more attractive for her.  
- I would be very proud if I'll ever have a chance to meet him…-John said, - I've heard also, he was an Indian Agent before that.  
- Yes. But where did you know this? - Katie wondered …  
- From my father. He was a physician in East-Fork Reservation . He told me that Superintendant quit him, because he really took care of the people…They tried to quit my father, as well -but they couldn't, because he was the only physician, who agreed to work there.. - He paused, then added, - He's my adoptive father. I don't remember my biological parents, the only one thing I know about them, that they belonged to the Southern Cheyenne - He touched his necklace and said - There is the only thing I have from my real family….I had changed two or three adoptive families - Indian families, until Mr.Mcmillan adopted me…He was infected by the small-pox during the epidemic and died eight years ago. Then I decided to be a doctor, like him , so I'll graduate college next year…  
- Mr.McMillan, - Katie began, - but he told her:  
- Please, call me John. I have this name after my father. That's a pity, that I don't remember my Indian name. I can speak Cheyenne, but I couldn't remember clearly my early life in reservation…Father was going to tell me more about my people, but he died before that…- He sighed…- Can I introduce our pupil to you, Ms.Sully?  
- Sure…but please, call me just Katie…You can practice in Cheyenne with me, if you want - she added, -my father taught me…  
- I'd be glad, - he answered, looking at her with some wonder…  
  
They met very often since this time - at first, with their pupil, then they both had found that they had a lot of things to talk about, and became good friends. Few months later Katherine Sully and John McMillan began to aware that their relationship is something more than just a friendship…When John invited her to the picnic, they kissed for the first time, and next month he proposed to her, and she said "yes"…  
  
Visiting Colorado-Springs, Katie decided not just to introduce him to her family and invite him for Christmas. She hoped to persuade parents and the Reverend to make the wedding ceremony during the Christmas vacations. They both thought they couldn't live without each other, and didn't see any sense in waiting ….  
  
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Sully looked at his companion with the anguish , This man irritated him more and more with every minute.  
Gordon Fiedler, the writer and jpurnalist, belonged to that kind of people, who enjoyed only their own monologues and didn't care about his interlocutor. Anyway, Sully didn't interested in conversation with him. Instead of celebration Christmas with the whole family, he was managed to spend time with this blabbermouth…   
There was a least proper time to leave, and that was not only because of Christmas. He was argued with Michaela right before he left, and he left her still angry at him….  
Eleven years ago Chief Dull Knife entrusted him the Cheyenne baby and asked to take care of him and tell him about the people he belongs to . He gave the baby name Lives Free…  
Now Lives Free was 11, he was known in Colorado-Springs as Josef Sully and didn't aware he was adopted child…  
That was the reason, why Michaela and Sully had argued…  
  
---------------------------------  
  
- I 've packed you some meal, - Michaela said, giving him a bundle,. - And here is some medicine. Hope, you don't need it, but this is for any extra case …  
- Thank you, - Sully took the packs and kissed her cheek…- I'm sorry for being away at Christmas…  
- That's your job, - Michaela sighed gravely, - children would be dissapointed, especially Joe  
- Michaela, - he suddenly asked, - when we'll finally tell him?  
- I think, it can wait, - she declared.  
- We were already waiting more than 10 years…after all , I gave them my word, remember?  
- You already told him a lot about Cheyennes- Michaela objected   
- It was just like a tale for him. This must be here, - he put his palm against the heart, - he needs to feel himself as a part of Cheyenne people…  
- So you prefer to tell him that we're not his Ma and Pa, but some strangers, who just raised him up?  
- We're not "strangers" for him, and for Matthew, Colleen and Brian as well. Anyway, some day he will know the truth, from some townsfolks - I think , we'd better tell him before that…  
-Sully, - Michaela said, trying to fight back her irritating, - why we can't discuss this later, when you'll back? I promise to think about this while you were away…  
- Good, - he had agreed. He didn't want to argue more and leave her angry and upset ….  
  
Meanwhile, the writer continued his monologue, …  
- Yes, - he perorated - the Wild West will become just a memory very soon …All these Indian wars remained a history as well. The Indians finally understood that the way of progress and civilizations is the only possible way for them. We have brought them a progress and culture, though they did not realize this. We've brought them new life…  
- Drinking and diseases… - Sully added. But the writer didn't pay any attention at his words.  
- Mr.Sully, did you ever heard of their new" prophet"? He teaches that if the Indians would dance until exhaustion - the earth would wide open and swallow up all whites… a kind of Indian's Paradise…- he giggled, - Can you imagine such a rubbish!   
- If I were you, I'd prefer no judge the things I couldn't understand, - Sully answered, trying to speak as calm as he could  
- So, you're believing at this?   
- No, but I understand, why THEY believe in it. After all that whites have done for the Indians , Indians surely have the right to with whites to be swallowed up… but Wovoka is wrong, and whites don't leave nowhere .  
- Mister Sully, all this is in past , - Fiedler declared confidently. - There is no more war.  
Sully kept silence. He doesn't want to lose his patience and yell to this man…he understood very clearly there there would no any good results in their arguing. ..   
-Besides that, - the writer continued, - I believe, all the stories about the extermination of Indians were severally exaggerated… - No, - Sully just answered, but the look of his face forced the writer to change the subject , and he started to talk about his own own books……  
Sully didn't listen him, deepenned in his thoughts. He reminded the massacre at fort Robinson. The Cheyennes returned to their land from southern reservation, because they were starving and dying there…But the chief of the garrison wanted them to go back, and, when they refused to do this, he had locked them in old barracks, without food, and water, and firewood…But the Indians didn't give up, and tried to escape…and almost all of them were killed by the army with a cold blood..   
Sully's eyes filled with tears, as he remembered this - their lifeless bodies, laying here and there - men, women, children…He was hidden in the bush just few yards from them, but couldn't help them. There were two children near him, his daughter, and the Cheyenne baby. When Chief Dull Knife gave him a baby, he said:  
- You must save him, Ho'neosovaestse, not just one baby, but the spirit of our people in him. He would be the last free Cheyenne, so I call him Lives Free. …   
There were the traditions in Cheyenne tribe, that were handed down from the father to the son, from the grandparent to the grandchild Indian children listened the tales of the elders near the campfires, and soaked in the history and wisdom of their tribe . His son was deprived of all this..He gave his word to the dying Cheyennes, and when they went away to the Great Spirit , they were sure, that the spirit of Tse-tsetse-staetse will stay alive in this child… He promised them, and didn't keep this promise .Certainly, Sully told his son about Cheyennes a lot of times, in the same way, as earlier toldKatie and Brian.. But all these stories didn't touch the boy's soul as mush as Sully wished that…  
.  
Michaela loved her new son with all her heart…Sully guessed that he somehow replaced in her heart the baby they had lost, and when she implored all the townsfolks never tell Josef that he was adopted, , Sully yielded her. He could see how her eyes lit up, when she just held the baby. Michaela couldn't have more children, and little Josef made her happy. He couldn't break her happiness. And he couldn't break his word as well…  
- Mr.Sully!- a sharp voice of writer returned back to reality, - Look, there're Indians!   
Now he had seen the group of Indians, moving towards them . They were accompanied by soldiers.  
- Can we pass them around? - Fiedler asked Sully, looked at the Indians with a fear…  
- We don't need to do this, - Sully answered, - just wait while they will pass by…perhaps, they're going to the Pine-Ridge reservation…I'll go talk with them…  
Sully rode towards them. Fiedler prefered to wait.  
They were Sioux, not Cheyennes, but with the sign language they could understand each other.. Sully was right - the group of Sioux with the chief Big Foot had surrendered to the army and now were going to the Pine -Ridge. Old chief was gravely ill, and he followed his group in army wagon.. Sully saw him before, many years ago, when the group of Lakhota were invited to the SunDance . Big Foot was already not very young, but strong and healthy. Now he was a decrepit old man, suffering from the pneumonia .Sully looked inside his saddlebags and had found some medicines Michaela gave him. He offered it to the young woman, who took care of the Chief, but he was almost sure, that was already too late, and hardly this will help…   
In more dismal mood, he returned to his companion, and soon they had continued their way…  
  
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All the morning Michaela was busy at her clinic, and Katie decided to visit some of her friends.  
However, about an hour later she appeared at clinic too  
-I've thought you're going to visit Jane and Cheryl, - Michaela asked her.  
- I've change my mind… I'd talking with the Reverend.…He agreed…  
- About what?  
-About our wedding next week!  
-NEXT WEEK?!!!  
- Well, as soon as John will pass all his exams, he will arrive here, and we…  
- Wait - Michaela interrupted her - we were talking he had proposed to you.. but next week! I can't understand, why you do not want to wait!  
She suddenly looked at Katie suspiciously :  
- Do you want to say there is the particular reason for this? Are you…  
-No, I'm not! !! - Katie said angrily, - the only reason in that we love each other.  
- You after all are acquainted so little! Why you do not want to finish your education before?  
- Coleen got married when she was still in College - Katie objected, - and she was younger than me!  
- Katie…are you sure that…that's your final choice??  
-You just don't like that he's an Indian! - Katie was offended, - You 're talking just like Gradma was !  
- No, Michaela began, - but…  
- When the daughter of Miss Dorothy arrived here, you're talking quite the contrary! You convinced her , remember ? And now you're going to forbid me to marry the man I love! Pa would understand me better!  
With these words Katie left the clinic.  
  
-----------------------  
That had happened when Katie was about 6.  
  
Michaela opened up her clinic, but stopped on the porch. The face of young red-haired woman, who was standing near the clinic, seemed very familiar to her. She looked just like Dorothy, but much younger….  
She knocked to the Gazette door, and when it opened, went inside…the next moment she rushed out of the doors, as if somebody had pursued for her…Then the young woman ran to the Bray's store, and closed the door behind her…  
Michaela entered her clinic…Perhars, she guessed what had happened….  
--------------------------------  
- Mr .Bray…Uncle Loren… - the woman was out of breath . Loren looked at her with puzzlement, his eyes rolled. Noticing this, she added:  
- I'm Lucy, Dorothy Jennings' daughter…Perhaps, you're still remember me…What's wrong with Ma?  
- Sure, I remember you, - Loren said, - nothing wrong. She at Grace's cafe…  
- But…there was…there was an Indian…an awful savage…right in Gazette…What he's doing there?!  
To her great wonderment, Loren stayed very calm. He just answered:  
- That's just Cloud Dancing…Your mother will marry him this Saturday…  
- My mother…WHAT?!! That's a bad joke, Uncle Loren!  
- I ain't jokin' - Loren said, - they had a Cheyenne kind of wedding last week…but next Saturday Rev. Johnson will marry them by proper way.  
Lucy's face reddened with anger:  
- That's absurd!!! - she yelled, - How you can just stay and look at this! You're the only kin of her here - and you are doin' nothing to stop her! I 've thought you always wished her to be happy…  
- Indeed, - Loren answered, - That's why I don't want to stop her…  
- Where I can find her? - Lucy was furious, - If you don't want to stop this "wedding" , I'll do this!!!  
--------------------------------------  
  
-Lucy, my dear!!! - Dorothy was so happy to see her daughter, that she didn't notice the look of her face, - That's wonderful, you're finally decide to visit me!  
- It it truth? - Lucy asked coldly  
- What?  
- Your "wedding".  
- Yes, - Dorothy's eyes lit up, - I'm so happy to see you…  
- Are you crazy? - Lucy asked angrily, - What are you going to do?!  
- I'm going to marry the man I love, - Dorothy said firmly, - And I wish you to understand this…  
- Never!!!- her daughter yelled, - I 'll never understand, why the civilized woman is going to marry the savage…Poor father, he never could imagine…  
- Your father taunted and beat me, and Cloud Dancing loves and respects me…- Dorothy objected  
- If you'll marry him, you can never call me your daughter anymore! - Lucy exclaimed. Then she turned away, and walked towards the clinic…  
---------------------------------------------------   
-   
  
  
- Dr Quinn? - Lucy asked as Michaela opened the clinic door, - Can you give me something from coughing. I had a little cold few days ago, and don't want the cough to bother me in train…  
- Yes, certainly… - Michaela had no any wish to help this woman after she offended Dorothy - but she had no choice, that was her job…. - Sit down here and unbutton your dress…  
- No, I just need some drops….….  
-But I need to know the cause of your cough, so I need to examine you first , - Michaela said, and Lucy obeyed.  
There were red stripes on her back and shoulders, and some bruises on her arms. Lucy lowered her eyes.  
- Oh, my God! - Michaela exclaimed  
- I fell down from the porch, - Lucy said quickly  
-When Dorothy came here for the first time she told me that the horse throw her…, perhaps, here was the same horse. That was your husband who had done this with you?  
Lucy nodded:  
- That was my fault. I didn't fix a supper when he was back home…  
-No!, -Michaela said, -That was only HIS blame.! No man has rights to do this.  
- My father behaved in the same way, - Lucy confessed, - That was why I ran away from home when I was 16. But all the husbands are the same…  
- No, my husband, Sully, is different! So as Cloud Dancing. He respects Dorothy , and loves her with all his heart. Dorothy is my best friend, and she deserves to live her life with the man she loves, and with the man who loves her, who is so kind and noble…  
- But he's an Indian! The savage!  
- He's not a savage! - Michaela outraged, - The savage is this one, who can beat his wife! Cloud Dancing is very wise man, he taught me a lot of medicine. For example he told me about the herb tea I'm going to give you from your cough.  
- Are you going to give me the Indian medicine?!  
- If it does not help you, you can bring an action against me- Michaela answered firmly  
- Well…you're the doctor, - Lucy shrugged her shoulders. She got dressed and stood up.  
-   
- Can I walk with you to the station? - Michaela asked, - I need to send a letter there…  
Lucy agreed, and they two walked through the town square. As they passed the GAZETTE building, Michaela suddenly stopped and asked:  
- Have you seen this? - she indicated to the signboard, - Dorothy's very good editor and the good writer as well…Have you seen her books at Loren's store? The first one, about Colorado-Springs, was published in New York and the second…  
- What do you mean?- Lucy asked, - Do you mean she wrote them by herself?  
-Yes, indeed. There 's a lot of publishers now who want to release her books…  
-I never could imagime, - Lucy said quietly, ! Ma was just a usual housekeeper.  
- I think you must be proud of your mother- Michaela continued, - I know, she changed so much…But she couldn't do this without the help of her friends, and without the support of the man who loves her…She couldn't be this Dorothy Jennings, we know, if she would still live with your father, who abased her all the time…Am I right?  
- Yes, - Lucy sighed, but…  
- When I 've met my future husband ,- Michaela said- I should never believe we could ever be together. We were so different! But now I can't imagine my life without him…Dorothy was afraid of the Indians, such as you are - until she got to know Cloud Dancing…and now they can't live without each other. With all these years, I've understood, that it doesn't matter that the person we love is different, if he makes us happy…I think, you love your mother, if you're going to visit her.  
- Sure, - Lucy said, - I wish her to be happy, but…I don't know what to do.  
- Don't leave…You must be at her wedding…Dorothy would be so pleased to see any of her children there  
- You're right, - Lucy suddenly agreed, - I'm the only one of her children who could be there. Mabel is somewhere south, I don't know where exactly, and Tom…   
- He was here some years ago, Michaela reported, - but I can't say that he made her happy  
- I know, - Lucy said, - He's in jail now. But I don't want to say this to her until her wedding…  
She paused, and added:  
- Don't want to spoil such a happy day for her…  



End file.
